If you’re wondering if ESP LTD KH-602 is a good electric guitar or not, don’t worry – you’ve come to the right place! In today’s in-depth review, I’m going to take a very close look on that unique signature model of Kirk Hammett. It’s quite expensive, but is it actually good?
The truth is that ESP LTD KH-602 offers a really good quality and it’s perfect for shredding. Surely, all fans of Kirk and Metallica will immediately fall in love with that guitar! It’s definitely worth the money.
Let’s dive deeper with research to find out what exactly makes the KH-602 model so good and so popular all around the world. Firstly, we’ll have a look at the detailed specs and the main advantages of that guitar. Additionally, we’ll investigate if it has any potential flaws. Of course, there will be a few sound demos included as well!
Specs & Pricing
ESP LTD KH-602 is a high quality signature electric guitar of Kirk Hammett. As you can imagine, this guitar is designed for everyone who loves Metallica and metal genre. And in fact, it’s one of the most popular signature models made by ESP LTD!
What makes it so special? Well, the guitar features a solid alder body, a thin U-shaped maple neck and easy-playing ebony fretboard. There’s also a Floyd Rose 1000 vibrato bridge which makes this guitar even more versatile. The ESP tuners significantly improve the tuning stability.
The manufacturer equipped this model with a pair of really powerful pickups – Active EMG Kirk Hammett Bone Breaker Humbuckers. These pickups are perfect for metal, so if you love high-gain, you will definitely appreciate and enjoy their tone. They sound absolutely amazing!
It is also worth mentioning that the KH-602 looks fantastic from the outside too. There’s something really special about that black color, black headstock, black hardware and the skull-and-bones inlay motif.
When it comes to pricing, it’s not cheap. However in comparison with the high end ESP KH-2 Vintage it’s actually far more affordable! That being said, this signature guitar is definitely worth every cent.
Here’s the sound demo – feel free to check it out below.
Designed For Metal
ESP KTD KH-602 is a great fit for both amateur and more intermediate guitar players. It doesn’t really matter whether you’re an advanced guitarist or not – you will definitely notice and appreciate the high quality of that model.
However, since it’s a pretty expensive guitar, it’s mainly used by skilled and professional musicians. It works particularly well during live gigs and studio sessions, so it’s a great instrument to tour and grow your music career with.
Since it’s a signature model of Kirk Hammett, this guitar is perfect for metal music. If you like fat riffs and fast, melodic solos – this axe will be perfect for you. The thin neck makes shredding really easy and comfortable, so it’s an another big advantage of that model.
Undoubtedly, any fan of Kirk and Metallica will really love the ESP LTD KH-602. There’s not much to complain about – this guitar looks, sounds and feels really good. How can you argue with that?
Here’s an another sound demo.
Are There Any Disadvantages?
The ESP LTD KH-602 is a pretty expensive guitar, so it offers a really high quality and a beautiful finish. It always comes with a great setup, so it’s really unlikely that you’ll experience any factory flaws in that guitar.
However, it seems that the high price is the biggest disadvantage of that guitar.
The KH-602 is on a similar level as a lot of other great ESP LTD guitars, but since it’s a signature model, it’s significantly more expensive.
That’s why some guitarist believe that this guitar is overpriced. But personally, I don’t agree with that statement. If you’re a huge fan of Kirk and you want to play on the same guitar as him, the price doesn’t really matter anyway. The thing is, the KH-602 signature model is one-of-a-kind.
Cheaper Alternatives
If you don’t like the sound of ESP LTD KH-602 or you simply can’t afford it right now, that’s not a big deal! It’s totally possible to find quite a lot of other really good electric guitars that are also perfect for rock and metal.
Of course, it all depends on what kind of music you want to play and how much are you willing to spend. Here’s a few more guitar recommendations based on my own experience.
Firstly, you should definitely consider getting the Ibanez Prestige RG5120M. This is a high-end Superstrat designed for rock and metal. It’s a great instrument for all the shredders and lovers of fast playing. If that’s your kind of vibe, you should definitely check it out. The only disadvantage is the fact that it’s quite expensive.
If you really want to stick to the ESP LTD guitars, feel free to check out my article about 10 Best ESP LTD Guitars For Rock & Metal. There are a lot of fantastic axes mentioned in that post, so I’m sure that you’ll be able to find something for yourself in there.
Alternatively, if you’re on a really tight budget or if you’re just starting out, make sure to check out the Ibanez AX120. This is a really underrated electric guitar which is actually quite affordable. Not many people are aware of how good it actually is. When it comes to budget electric guitars, this is definitely one of the best models!
Want to find out more about Ibanez guitars?
If you want to learn more about the guitars made by this legendary manufacturer, make sure visit the official website of Ibanez.
Summary
As you can see, ESP LTD KH-602 is an absolutely amazing electric guitar. Although it’s not cheap, it’s definitely worth every cent. I’m sure that every fan of Metallica and Kirk Hammett will be satisfied after getting this unique model!
What do you think of that axe? Would you get it for yourself or do you think that it’s a bit overrated? Leave a comment down below and let me know what you think, I’m really interested to hear your thoughts!
Thanks for checking out today’s review, hopefully it was helpful. If you enjoyed this article and you’re searching for more gear recommendations for rock and metal, you may also like:
